Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-08-31
From Frank Leslie's Magazine.
MISS MINTON'S MASTER.


MISS MINTON'S MASTER.
Miss Minton was regarded by all her
friends as a model woman, save for
one eccentricity. To begin with, she
was pretty, with g. red-lipped, hazel
eyed, rosy prettlness that admitted
of no question; her temper was admir-
able, her intelligence fair, her attain
ments were more than respectable,
her family was good, and her fortune
comfortable, though not unwieldly.
Then, too, as g. daughter, neighbor,
friend and hostess, she was allowed,
even by the most captious, to dis
charge the whole duty of woman-lat.
terly more, for after her father was
stricken with paralysis in his right
arm he would trust his business to
none but Grace. who, having 81 clear
head and ready pen, proved herself an
efficient substitute, and won golden
opinions from all with whom the
arrangement brought her in con-
tact, and they were not a few nor SIM
pie, for Minton bred pure, blood horses
that went pretty well all over the
south country; In fact his 6OO-acre
farm, with its velvet pastures and
clean-limbed, glossy herd, had repu-
tGtion almost national, and was quite
the pride of Rowan County, where it
lay; so, first and last, Miss Minton
saw and knew much more of the great
outside world than falls to the lot of
most ome.keeping, provincial maid
ems.
Maplewood lies in a region Of softly
swelling hills, well wooded and water
ed by small, clear creeks that run
down to near the river. The country
is three-fourths cleared and largely set
in grass. In fact, blue grass grows
there quite as we'll as in the "Blue-
grass region" A fair and smiling land,
full Of roomy, handsome houses, big
barns and tall, clear fences, with hard,
white turnpikes winding through and
through. One of them ran past the
gate of Maplewood, cutting off from
the main farm hundred acres of
pasture, through which thread of
bright water wound it's laughing way,
uncer shadows OF elm, ash and syca-
more, past banks of clean pebbles or
green, howery turf. Hither in mid
May came the glossy yearl ings from
home pastures, there to develop
strength and speed, and stay, On fair
water and lush grass, throughout the
bright hot summer; and hither Grace
Minton, riding in her fathers stead,
slowly, with rein well in hand, and
bright, close-looking eyes, found an
animal that, after his fashion, showed
fairly beside her thoroughbreds.
A tall, young man, 1.-THE and well
made, with wet golden hair and a look
Of patient hunger in his well-cut face,
sat bareheaded on gray rock in the
full sun blaze, g. wet shirt so clinging
20 chest, arms and shoulders as to
show the physique Of an athlete. On
the grass back OF him lay a wide, soft
nat, coat we'll cut and of good
ma terial, but frayed and worn, and
q small Russia-leather Dag, open and
empty, save for g. few papers peeping
from an inner pocket. A tramp, evil
IDENTIFY, whose nomadic life had not
obliterated the instincts CT cleanliness
Or decency, as he had deemed it safe
in this solitude to wash himself and
his clothes, and who, at sight of the
young lady. sprang up hastily, and
flushing through all his sun-tan flung
his coat about him and looked with
dumb apology into her face.
Grace's first impulse was to ride
away in silence, as though unnoting,
but somehow the look of those deep
blue eyes arrested and held her, and
pulling up sharply, she said, with an
unmistakable proprietorial accent:
How came you here?"
The man bent his bare head and
answered literally:
Through the gate on the turnpike.
Il was unlocked, and it looked SO cool
and pleasant down mere, and was so
tired aud dusty, was tempted into
trespassing. Pardon it, please; and
let me- stay until the sun gets past
noon, and l will go away without
harming anything. The road is bis
tering now"
ST know It," said Miss Minton curt
", "but that is no reason for you to
stay here hungry. Come on with me
to the house and rest there. Have
you had breakfast 2"
He shook mis- head with faint
smile, and she continued severely:
"That is very wrong. You should
suit the country you are passing
through when you thus slight our hos
pitality."
He looked up straight into her face
and answered:
"Dig l cannot, for NJ man will hire
me; and to beg | am ashamed. Can
you give me work ?''
''What can you do?"
Anything indiferently, nothing
well"
Can you handle horses ?"
"a little" with the shadow OF q
zniie b5hind his long, fair moustache.
Can you ride colts 20
Il have done it; [ think | might
again."
Very well, I will get my father to
take you for 81 week on trial; if you
suit he will keep you ell summer,
though We have never hired a white
nand before"
What shall / have to do?"
Anything you are told to; chiefly
break horses TO the saddle. Uncle